Current skaters who'll be remembered with time as among the greats

Being respectively four-time WCs and Oly champs, they have incorporated so much difficulty and originality into their programs without harming the essence of the respective disciplines.

4. Mao Asada

Thanks to her star power figure skating has enjoyed unprecedented popularity in Japan, with the emphasis on her beauty, a 3Axel and the rivalry between her and Yuna Kim (legitimate or not). Despite her weaknesses the current scoring system heavily penalizes, I'm inclined to think her presence and her skating are special enough to be remembered among the greats.

I'd add Takahashi to this list. He's always been more than just a competitive skater. That quality of artistic maturity and innovation, added to the position he holds in Japanese skating history--first male Olympic medalist, first male World champion--should ensure his legacy, I'd say.

Agree with Kim. To be honest, her performances leave me cold, but there is no denying her excellence - never finished off the podium in any competition... that James Bond routine and MONSTROUS record scores to win the 2010 Olympic gold (although I question whether she should have won by THAT margin of points)

Asada for sure too. Unless someone steps up to the plate, she may be remembered as the last female skater to perform triple axels. So many medals... the first woman to complete the GP grand slam (gold at all GP events)... first to land 3 triple axels in a single competition... many performances that stay in your mind, especially the 2012/2013 season (Mary Poppins exhibition!!!)

I don't think Virtue and Moir can be added to the list, without Davis and White: I wonder if either team would have reached they heights they have, without the other to compete against?

Takahashi will surely be remembered for the artistry, expression, passion and personality of his performances, as well as his achievements of course. Mambo!

I'd say Hanyu is also destined to become one of the greats. He has already delivered the most firey, determined and passionate performance I've ever seen (2012 world's FS), and I will always remember him for that, regardless of what he does in future.

I also have high hopes for Lipnitskaia. Last year, she was "just another" Russian gymnastic/athletic wunderkind... but this year she has added such elegance, gracefullness, and convincing emotion and expression. Amazing progress, and she has learned to smile. If she can get through growing pains and continue to develop, she is surely destined for superstardom. Also her axel jump is currently very low, I'm sure if she jumped higher she could manage a triple...!

There was a discussion about that on another thread somewhere wasn't there? I got the impression that those who were deemed to be 'great' were characterised by longevity and changing the face of figure skating in some way or another, like Janet Lynn or Dick Button or someone like that.

I think Plush will be remembered as one of the greats because at his height, he was doing 4-3-3 and wonderful triple-axels and he has stayed in the sport for so long.
Michelle Kwan also will be remembered, I think, because while she didn't really advance the sport in any specific way, she did stay in the sport for a very long time, and she will be remembered for being the skater who didn't win the OGM multiple times despite being the favorite.
Patrick, I think, will be remembered because I think he will win the OGM, and his skating skill is jaw-droppingly phenomenal.

As for the others that have been listed, I'm not sure. They will certainly be remembered, but maybe not as one of THE greats because either they haven't stayed in the sport long enough (at least three Olympic cycles, preferably four) or, while they may be the best skater or one of the best skaters of their generation, their greatness isn't guaranteed to withstand the test of time (as of yet).

There was a discussion about that on another thread somewhere wasn't there? I got the impression that those who were deemed to be 'great' were characterised by longevity and changing the face of figure skating in some way or another, like Janet Lynn or Dick Button or someone like that.

I think Plush will be remembered as one of the greats because at his height, he was doing 4-3-3 and wonderful triple-axels and he has stayed in the sport for so long.
Michelle Kwan also will be remembered, I think, because while she didn't really advance the sport in any specific way, she did stay in the sport for a very long time, and she will be remembered for being the skater who didn't win the OGM multiple times despite being the favorite.
Patrick, I think, will be remembered because I think he will win the OGM, and his skating skill is jaw-droppingly phenomenal.

As for the others that have been listed, I'm not sure. They will certainly be remembered, but maybe not as one of THE greats because either they haven't stayed in the sport long enough (at least three Olympic cycles, preferably four) or, while they may be the best skater or one of the best skaters of their generation, their greatness isn't guaranteed to withstand the test of time (as of yet).

This thread was started with the intention of discussing currently competing skaters. Please leave Michelle Kwan, Alexei Yagudin, Gordeeva/Grinkov, Torvill/Dean, Dick Button, Ulrich Salchow, Gillis Grafstrom and Sonja Henie and so on out of this.

Evgeni Plushenko is already remembered as one of the greatest. Regardless of the result in Sochi (and whether he competes there or not), I think his legacy will remain mostly unchanged.

This thread was started with the intention of discussing currently competing skaters. Please leave Michelle Kwan, Alexei Yagudin, Gordeeva/Grinkov, Torvill/Dean, Dick Button, Ulrich Salchow, Gillis Grafstrom and Sonja Henie and so on out of this.

Evgeni Plushenko is already remembered as one of the greatest. Regardless of the result in Sochi (and whether he competes there or not), I think his legacy will remain mostly unchanged.

Well, okay. I think that of all the current skaters, Patrick actually will the skater that the future generation will recognize as being great. Not that the other skaters aren't great of course.

I think Mao Asada will be remembered as a national treasure in Japan, like Michelle Kwan is remembered in the United States. Mao is the face of figure skating in a country where figure skating is still something worth being the face of.

If Yuna Kim wins a second Olympic gold medal, then, like Katarina Witt, it will be impossible for her name to be omitted from any list of the all-time greats.

I am not sure that Katarina Witt is on the list of all-time greats despite winning two OGM, but I agree that if Yuna wins a second OGM at Sochi, she would legitimately be on the list of all-time greats.

If Mao can win OGM at Sochi with 8 triples, or wins OGM and also manages to achieve an 8-triple FP sometime during the season, then I think it likely that there will not be another female skater that can replicate the difficulty of her program for a decade or so at least, so then, I think she will achieve a legendary status.

I was never a fan of Patrick until Skate Canada, but he was on a different level even in comparison to his previous self, and I do think that as someone who has won three World medals consecutively from his skating skills most prominently, if he wins OGM at Sochi in a style similar to how he won at Skate Canada, he will be remembered as a legend, no matter how figure skating boards nowadays see him.

Most people will remember only the ones that skate during their historical time. Look at the list of winners since the beginning. Even many skating fans don't know their names. How many can you name, off the top of your head (in all disciplines). It is also difficult, even if there are videos available, to compare skaters through the years as the skill set changes.
Henie seems to be the only one that has some level of immortality, but I wonder how much longer that will last.

I see you explained this thread was to be about current skaters. I thought you meant through the years. You need to go back and change the title to Current Skaters Who'll.

At this point, I guess I would say Asada, but I really don't even feel strongly about that and it is based on her 3 triple axels at Vancouver, which in the record books will make her memorable.

Great sports figures are remembered by whom they competed against, as well as for what they did, and could do themselves. One of the reason that Navka & Kostomarov are not immediately though of when we remember skaters & teams as greats (so far) is because the level of competition during their dominant years was not all that high.

Curiously enough, if V&M are remembered as greats, it will be impossible not to remember D&W, too.

If V&M win again in Sochi, D&W will still be remembered. After all, who can think about Muhammed Ali without thinking about Joe Frazier, not to mention George Foreman?

If D&W win in Sochi, they will even more be remembered among the greats, for defeating great champions.